Page 100 of Dream a Little Dream

“No, Aaron, it’s notcommon knowledge.” Kenny stepped forward. “How do you know about the roses?”

“That’s what Frank did, right? It’s a guess.”

“A guess?”

Aaron leaned away from Kenny’s penetrative, probing stare. “Jesus, back off. I didn’t put them there.”

“So who told you?”

“I don’t know!You!” He flapped a hand at Kenny. “Or your fucking bellend ex.”

Kenny stood in front of him at the breakfast bar, hands on the surface, shoulders tense as he stared him down. “Who told you?”

“I can’t remember!”

Kenny slapped his palm on the surface.

Aaron flinched. “Don’t do that. It turns me on.”

Kenny glared at him, then launched across the counter, grabbing Aaron’s hoodie in a clenched fist and wrenched him over the surface. Nose to nose, his face twisted into something Aaron should fear. But he didn’t. And he splayed there, manhandled and heart racing, breaths laboured with anticipation.

“So does this, FYI.”

Kenny let him go, then stormed around the breakfast bar. “Up.”

“What?”

“We’re doing the deep dive now.”

Aaron swallowed. He didn’t want Kenny in his head. He hated it there himself. And he’d already cried on Kenny more often than he should when he wanted to be taken over a kitchen counter by him. So he desperately wracked his brain to give Kenny something to stave off what would no doubt put a dramatic end to any eventuality of that happening.

“Jervine.” Aaron spun on the stool to face him.

“What?”

“Jervine must have told me.”

Kenny mulled that over for a moment. But before Aaron let him do any more thinking, he grabbed Kenny’s tie, dragging him closer. Kenny tumbled forward, falling between Aaron’s spread legs.

“You want in my head, Dr Lyons, you gotta work for it.”

“Aaron.” Kenny’s warning was weak and fragile. “Please. Thiscan’thappen.”

“No?” Aaron tugged on Kenny’s tie, the silk soft in his palms. “Like the tie, doc. Brings out the dark in your eyes.” He hovered his lips a breath away from Kenny’s, forming the kiss he planned to beg, borrow or steal. Because a kiss would end Kenny’s need to analyse him. Because this touch, thisheatthey undeniably shared, would obliterate any further questions.

Kenny’s brow furrowed, as if just realising something. “Is Jervine in contact with Roisin?”

Aaron’s grip on the tie faltered, silk sliding through his fingertips the same way Kenny was from his clutches. “Not that I know of. Why?”

“Are you?”

“No. Why?”

“Because she knows.”

“Knows what?”

“I’m guessing everything.”

---